RANCHO CUCAMONGA >> Jackie Navoa waited more than six years to come to the United States.

She had just graduated from a school in the Philippines and planned on fulfilling her dreams of becoming a registered nurse. After waiting for her paperwork and for her funds to go through, she finally made it.

Fifteen years after she became a United States citizen, she stood with her husband and a dozen other community members Monday in front of Republican Rep. Gary Miller’s office in Rancho Cucamonga to urge him to oppose House Speaker John Boehner’s potential immigration reforms.

Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Republicans are poised to introduce those reforms this week, including a path to legal status — but not citizenship — for many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

But as the immigration debate in Congress heats up this week, Miller, whose left-leaning 31st District spanning from Upland to Redlands, and Rep. Paul Cook, R-Yucaipa, have become the focus of local opposition. And in recent days, the potential for GOP action on reform is making groups who supported Miller’s candidacy threaten to back away from him.

“I waited for my turn, I did it legally and it’s not fair for the government to give amnesty,” Navoa said. “They don’t need to take away jobs from American citizens, and there are a lot of illegal immigrants crossing the border and they are committing crimes.”

The protest was organized by Claremont-based advocacy group WeThePeopleRising.com, as part of a number of similar protests throughout the state.

Outside Cook’s office, Navoa’s concerns were echoed by others.

“First of all, we’re concerned about the direction of our country,” said Yucaipa resident Raul Rodriguez, a member of the Redlands Tea Party. “American citizens are out of jobs and collecting unemployment. Illegal immigrants are taking those jobs.”

Last week, the Redlands Tea Party Patriots, which supported Miller in his campaign for the 31st District, threatened to withhold support for Miller, if the House passes amnesty.

“No matter what you or they call it, no matter what ‘clever’ Washington way you or they pass it, the Redlands Tea Party Patriots will not support any Republican members of Congress, and we will urge everyone we can to abstain in voting for Congress,” the letter stated.

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Protestors on Monday believed that immigration reform will negatively impact the unemployed, the homeless and veterans and that by supporting it, Miller would not be accurately representing his constituents.

As the debate heats up this week, Miller is hearing it.

“I’ve heard from both sides of the issue about immigration reform and its impact on the Inland Empire,” Miller said in a statement. “I’m continuing to listen and gather input from constituents, business leaders, and law enforcement to ensure the needs of the Inland Empire are met. I would not let the politics of the issue get in the way of supporting the best policies for Inland Empire families.”

For the GOP, the mobilizing on the right of the party is shaky political ground for moderates, who see reform as a chance to attract crucial Latino votes in November for vulnerable seats, like Miller’s, said John Pitney, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College.

“Within the Republican party, there are the hard-liners who want stronger border control and the political pragmatists who feel like they should modify their stance to compete for the Hispanic vote,” said Pitney. “There are Democrats who argue that anything less than a pass to citizenship is inadequate so people in the middle are receiving fire from both sides. The idea of legalization is a middle ground but a potentially risky middle ground.”

And it’s vulnerable ground for Miller, being a Republican representative in a largely Democratic district, according to Pitney.

Already, Democrats Pete Aguilar, Danny Tillman, Eloise Gomez Reyes, and former Rep. Joe Baca want the seat in what is expected to be one of the most highly contested races for Congress.

“He has a huge political problem,” Pitney said of Miller. “The big question is will the middle ground be sufficient for him to win some Hispanic votes and some white moderate votes. But if I were running the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, if somebody asked me what district I would want to win, I would say Gary Miller’s. He’s at the top of the hit list.”

Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of Mi Familia Vota in Riverside, said his organization has talked to more than 4,000 voters in an effort to put pressure on Miller and to promote reform. He said the group protesting on Monday represents a minority opinion in the district.

“The majority think this needs to be done and there’s an urgency to it,” De La Cruz said. “If he continues to be silent on these issues, I think there’s going to be real consequences in the election. Because this is an issue, like healthcare, like jobs, like crime, this is a kitchen-table issue that family members are struggling with on a daily basis.”